To make your golden years work for you, you have to have a strategic plan.
Everybody talks about retirement, but all they do is sock away some money. There's more to it than that. For enlightenment, we give you some of the humorous advice of Fortune's Stanley Bing. He says a life of recreation and indolence will drive you mad after 3.5 years. After that you get old. To make your golden years work for you, you have to have a strategic plan.
First, don't move away from home and friends. If you want to spend time in Florida or Phoenix, that's what hotels are for. The best thing you can do is to establish some sort of a daily grind so you can look forward to vacations. If you spend all your time on the golf course or a sail boat, you will not be happy. Keep your hobbies hobbies. They make you relax and aren't supposed to be done full time.
Maintain your vices. For Stanley Bing this means eating bacon and occasionally having a few drinks. Don't drink, he says, if you have not already developed expertise in that area. Since you will be maintaining your vices, it makes sense to exercise more than you used to, not less. You'll have the time. If you want to continue to abuse your body in other ways, Bing says, you have to take care of it. Avoid doctors if possible.
Don't listen to the health advice of all the people who love you. They mean well, but don't understand your plan. And don't hang around with your children. "Visit, give presents, and move on. You have fish to fry." Always look your best. As you become older and less attractive, the need for aggressive grooming grows.
